Education or Private Industry?

B Man asks: "I have been working in IT related jobs since 1994, and in that time, I have held the following positions: Security Administrator, Systems (Linux) Administrator, Network Engineer, Computer Consultant, and Project Manager. Almost all of my experience has been in medium sized businesses, but mow I have come to be in the situation of having two job offers that would be in totally different environments, and I am at a crossroads. My choices are: a position which allows me to work with cutting edge technologies, being the main technical contact to a Fortune 10 company; or a position in a higher education facility, in the Unix Administrator role. Both jobs have their good and bad points, but I would like to hear which one Slashdot readers recommend, and why."

Comments

conundrum?

[opposume]

corporate = more money, oddly less red tape and bureaucracy, but less freedom to do more fun things. education = more freedom but more red tape and hassles when you want/need something due to federal monies and grants being limited. I would probably go with corporate given that you'll get to play with the latest and greatest while making good money at it, even though you'll have to probably wear a suit and tie. But that's just my 0.02

Lifestyle choice

[Marxist Hacker 42]

You don't tell us if you have, or want, a family, but that's really what this keys on.

The Fortune 10 company will shower you with money as long as you make choices that save them money- and might very well be worth your while, not to mention the great networking oportunities with such a position will lead you to other riches. But they will drop you in an instant if you're not making money, thus this option is only useful if you have no family and can move at the drop of a hat; or reduce your standard of living to put up with long layoffs.

The university will not pay as much- but you really have to fsck up to get fired from a university. They'll guarantee your income for the forseeable future, and probably also grant you a nice pension. In addition to that, there's always the fun of being the BOFH to a bunch of undergraduates- or play nasty games when that dweeb with the master's thesis exceeds his disk quota. Plus, it gives you the ultimate in with the female co-eds by being "helpful", which leads to dates, and eventually to the family, and the house bought on a 30 year mortgage guaranteed by your small but never-decreasing paycheck.

I know which one I'd take- but that's because I already made the mistake of having the family and mortgage and house and trying to pay for it with private industry jobs that never lasted more than 3 years. Lucky dog you- hopefully I'll be equally lucky soon as I'm currently contracting with the state and a developer's position in my office is opening up soon.

Re:Lifestyle choice

[elmegil]

They'll guarantee your income for the forseeable future

If you call $30k a year an income. I worked University Admin for the first 7 years of my career, and I'll never go back.

• I got paid 50% of my market value. If not less. I lived in student type apartments just above slum levels to keep from going broke. And I moved on with about $16k in debt.
• I had to do the work of 3 people myself, with no money for training, no money for conferences (except one time in 7 years).
• I only learned the equipment we had the budget to buy. Suffice to say it was not cutting edge equipment, and left me a bit behind when I did decide to go into the private sector.
• 24x7x365 on call. Oh yeah, I did get to go out of town a couple weeks each year, but otherwise, since I was The Guy for what I managed, if it broke, I fixed it.

It's just not worth it. MAYBE if you're going to a huge state school or an incredibly wealthy/prestigious school, they'll have budget to make up for these shortcomings. But otherwise, you're condemning yourself to a backwater. I learned hella lot, but it was all school of hard knocks, and after 7 years I was seriously burnt out.

I'd say take the Fortune 10 job, make some significant money for a few years, put a lot of it away, and then you can look for a private sector job that's a bit more laid back. They exist you know, even if they don't in the Fortune 10.

Married?

[duffbeer703]

If you're married, go for the private sector gig.

If you're not, get the job at the university and enjoy a year or two of empty casual sex with easily impressed college chicks. Then leave and take a corporate gig.

Re:Married?

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Funny- I had exactly the opposite reaction. For my marriage, we need the stability of being able to depend on my paycheck- and I've completely soured on the idea of private industry EVER being able to provide that kind of stability ever again. The days of being able to depend on a paycheck with a single corporation to pay a 30 year mortgage or college for your two year old 18 years from now are long gone.

Family life

[B Man]

I am married, but no kids yet.

I guess I just didn't fill in near enough info.

Re:Family life

[Marxist Hacker 42]

Then check with your wife and see how soon she wants kids. Kids change EVERYTHING in this equation- I could have gotten by with no health care and contracting and sporadic layoffs the rest of my life, with occasionaly borrowing money from inlaws. But my kid being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy changed all that- I can NEVER let him be without health insurance. That's why I need the stability. Well, that and the stupid mistake of taking out a mortgage and getting a house- but if it wasn't for the kid I could eventually just go bankrupt and walk away from that.